7 Big Ol' Questions We Still Have About Fat Tuesday — Answered

For those of you who aren't aware, today is Fat Tuesday. Frankly speaking, unless you're down in New Orleans drowning yourself in liquor, beer, and beignets it's unlikely that you're actually celebrating. That said, Fat Tuesday has an infamous reputation of being one of the rowdiest days of the year. Why shouldn't we get to acknowledge it? Even if to learn a little bit about the history. Today, we'll be covering everything from, "What does Fat Tuesday mean?" to "What's a common Fat Tuesday drink?" Although, to be fair, we're pretty sure anything with an alcoholic content is a common Fat Tuesday drink, but, we digress.

If you weren't fortunate enough to snag yourself a little Mardi Gras vacay this year, don't fret. Maybe this explainer will convince you that by this time next year, your ass belongs down in the Bayou — taking shots, marching in parades, and stealthily evading plastic beads to the face, or worse, the, well, you know.

What Does Fat Tuesday Mean?

Fat Tuesday, also referred to as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, refers to events of the Carnival celebrations. These Carnival celebrations, not to be confused with your standard state carnival, are representative of the season that occurs before Lent. In layman's terms, Lent is 40-day long season of fasting and repenting for sins in the Catholic religion. Fat Tuesday is the precursor to that. Which, if you think about it, makes a lot of damn sense.

When Is Fat Tuesday?

Permitting you have no trouble using context clues, Fat Tuesday always falls on a, you guessed it, Tuesday! That said, it doesn't always fall on the same Tuesday every year. Why? Because Easter Sunday isn't the same every year. Fat Tuesday always takes place the day before Ash Wednesday which is dictated by Easter Sunday's date. It's all very confusing and Catholic, which is ironic given the amount of "sin" occurring.

Where Can You Celebrate Tuesday?

As mentioned earlier, Fat Tuesday is most commonly (and recklessly) celebrated in New Orleans. That said, you can celebrate Fat Tuesday wherever you please! Your bedroom, a bar, it doesn't matter. Additionally, Fat Tuesday traditions are upheld all over the world including France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and the Netherlands, among other places.

Why Is It Called Fat Tuesday?

Ready to get your mind blown? Mardi Gras is french for Fat Tuesday. Got to love basic translations, huh? A more in-depth explanation would be that Fat Tuesday reflects the idea of feasting before Lent.

Are Fat Tuesday And Mardi Gras The Same Thing?

Pretty sure we've already covered this, y'all. Yes, yes, 100% yes. Even if Mardi Gras has become a much longer celebration than a single day, In essence, they are the same in origin.

What Do People Do On Fat Tuesday?

In a word? Celebrate. They drink, they dance, they eat! They embrace the culture of New Orleans. Some people, if they're so inclined, flash their breasts (or man boobs) for beads. It's one big party!

What Is A Common Fat Tuesday Drink?

We touched upon this briefly above, but there's really no such thing as a standard Fat Tuesday drink. Anything from shots, to beer, to mixed drinks is on the table (and presumably down people's throats). That said, after perusing Instagram under the #FatTuesday hashtag, we've seen a lot of people getting their margarita on! Not a bad choice, not a bad choice indeed.

That about sums it up, guys. The history of Fat Tuesday is intricate and vast. By that, we mean, really freakin' Catholic. If you ignore all of the blatantly religious undertones, you're left with a day of pure bliss! If you do happen to be celebrating Fat Tuesday this evening, we recommend checking out some of our hangover tips below. Good lucky, gentlemen.